Launch the program on Windows and you're able to define a freehand rectangle to capture. A zoomed view shows the area around the mouse cursor, and its X and Y coordinates are also displayed, handy if you need precise positioning. Video, animated GIF, active window and full screen captures are also just a click away.

The finished file may be saved locally, but Grabilla can also upload the capture to its own private server. There you're able to annotate it further, get links to share it, embed the screenshot or post it in forums, and there's even a one-click option to create a short URL and QR code.

Explore further and you'll find even more options. A web capture bookmarklet enables you to save web pages from Chrome or Firefox. Grabilla can be used to share other files, not just captures, within a fairly strict size limit (20MB, 300MB for videos). A History page keeps track of what you're doing, too, although to access this from anywhere you must sign in with a Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Yahoo or LinkedIn account. (If that doesn't appeal, no problem - most of the site's features work just fine as an anonymous user.)

Grabilla's interface has some quirks, and video recording didn't work at all on one test PC. The plus points win out, though - configurability, online annotations, capture sharing features, cross-platform - and on balance the program gets a qualified thumbs up from us.

Spotlight: Free Full Software

The program makes it easy to create simple data discs and audio CDs, for instance: just drag and drop your files onto the list area and you'll be burning the finished disc in a couple of clicks.

That's just the start, though. Burning Studio 2013 can also create data discs with customised, interactive multi-page menus, perfect if you'd like a more professional way to share and present the disc contents.

A built-in backup tool allows you to create backups which may be encrypted, compressed, and span several CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays.

The focus throughout is on ease of use, though, and so Ashampoo Burning Studio 2013 remains very straightforward, whatever you're doing. Most disc projects are created via the same simple interface, and for the most part all you have to do is drag and drop the necessary files. But experts will find more advanced options are only a click away, and if you need to then you can set ISO and UDF version, enable Joliet, make a disc bootable and more.

Note the download here will take you to the Downloadcrew Software Store where you can download Burning Studio 2013.